IVth International Conference on Dormice (Rodentia, Gliridae)13 - 16 September 1999 EDÝRNE - TURKEY |
DORMICE OF BELARUS: ECOLOGY, DISTRIBUTION AND HISTORY OF STUDY
Kashtalian, A.
Berezinsky Biosphere reserve, 211188, Domzheritsy, Lepel District, Vitebsk Region, Belarus
Dormice represented in Belarus by four species (Forest Dormouse (Dryomus nitedula Pall.), Garden Dormouse (Eliomus quercinus L.), Fat Dormouse (Glis glis L.) and Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius L.)) are the least studied ones of the country’s theriofauna. And though first indications about their distribution in the country are available from the second half of XIX-early XX centuries (data by Korev A., 1861 and Nikolsky A.M., 1899, Semenov P.P., 1905, Shnitnikov V.N., 1913, Belynitzki-Birulia A.A, 1916 on Fat Dormouse, ) the data on range boundaries and biology of certain species within the country are still fragmentary.
The most numerous representative of the family, the Forest Dormouse, is disseminated throughout the whole territory of the country. It is the most abundant in southwestern Regions (Brest and Grodno, partially Gomel), however, in the southeast of Belarus (Gomel and Mogilev Regions) it is recorded less frequently. Prefers broad-leaved and mixed forests. Common in heavily anthropic areas: gardens and parks, observed in dwellings. In the north of the country it has fragmentary distribution and is attracted by broad-leaved forests (Oak groves in the first hand) on riparian areas. It is represented by Dryomus nitedula nitedula Pall. subspecies.
Fat Dormouse is recorded throughout the whole territory of the country. Its number is small everywhere decreasing from the south northwards. Occupies habitats similar to those of Forest Dormouse’s but still has better attraction to broad-leaved and mixed-broad-leaved forests with old hollow trees. In the south of the country it reveals more flexibility in habitats choosing due to the availability of greater diversity of broad-leaved species, berries, fruit-trees and bushes. Northwards where the forest habitats structure becomes more homogenous the species number decreases respectively.
Hazel Dormouse is known by a number of not numerous findings the majority of which took place in the southeastern part of the country (broad-leaved forests in the Pripiat basin). As far back as the early XX century the species was considered to be rather common in a number of southern areas; however the currant data prove considerable decrease of its number that gave cause to record it into the Red Data Book of the Republic of Belarus (category 2). Single records were made in the northern (Vitebsk environs) and central (Stolbtzy District Minsk Region) Belarus. The species was also observed in National Park “Belovezhskaya Pushcha” in the southwest of the country on the border with Poland. However, information on capturing Hazel Dormouse in the northwestern part of Belarus (Grodno Region and northern part of Vitebsk Region) near which lies the northern boundary of its range are not available.
The range of Garden Dormouse includes all the territory of the country. Several findings of the species are known for certain in the southeastern (Mogilev and Gomel Regions) and southwestern (National Park “Belovezhskaya Pushcha”) parts of Belarus. In the north of the country the only capture was made on the territory of Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. All cases of registration belong to the 20-50s. There is no information on later discovery that gave cause to record Garden Dormouse into the Red Data Book of Belarus (category 4).
Nowadays there is an urgent demand in the country to prepare and undertake an integrated faunistic program research into specific status and collection of data on the biology of representatives of Gliridae family inhabiting it could be one of its sections.